Representative Kevin Hern (R-OK-01) and Representative Chris Pappas (D-NH-01) led a Small Business Caucus roundtable yesterday with representatives from the National Restaurant Association, International Franchise Association, and the Independent Restaurant Coalition to discuss the successes and challenges of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and share views on the path forward for the restaurant sector. 

Hern and Pappas co-chair the bipartisan Small Business Caucus and both owned restaurants before coming to Congress. 

“Restaurants are some of the hardest hit businesses during COVID-19, and they’re still struggling to return to normal operations,” said Rep. Hern. “My co-chair Rep. Chris Pappas and I know more about the hardships of restaurant owners than anyone else in Congress, which is why I’m glad to work with him to find a bipartisan path forward for our restaurants and small businesses. This is exactly what the Small Business Caucus is about – moving past politics to help small businesses across America.”

Rep. Pappas said, “If you’ve worked in a restaurant, you know that every day is an all hands on deck kind of day. When the pandemic hit, we needed an all hands on deck effort to get resources and support to Main Street so it could survive. That's why the relief that has been authorized on a bipartisan basis over the last 14 months was so critical. As we move forward, I’m committed to providing additional resources to small businesses, while working to strengthen and improve existing support programs so they meet the needs of local businesses.  I want to thank my Co-Chair Congressman Hern for leading the first Small Business Caucus briefing of the 117th Congress with me today. I look forward to working in a bipartisan fashion to help small businesses not only weather the storm of this pandemic, but thrive in the future.”